Saving a present until the afternoon

[Mallowmarshmallow]

We have decided not to mix with grandparents/my sibling and family this year so it'll be the first year just the four of us.

I was thinking of 'accidentally' leaving a present hidden away somewhere and bringing it out in the afternoon..... does anyone else do this?

Otherwise, I can imagine we're going to have a very early start then all the presents will be unwrapped by 8.00!!

My aunt used to do this for us as kids. She'd hide a small extra gift in her Xmas tree and give it to us after lunch. It's one of my favourite Christmas memories.

We do stocking presents in the morning and tree presents after lunch. Kids love it. Just asked DD9 and she said she likes it that way because otherwise it would all be over too soon.

We have table gifts. Usually something small but it was always nice as kids to get another gift. I still do it now as adults

We've always done presents after lunch, stockings in the morning, church, a walk (or drinks - my parents always used to host drinks on Christmas Day morning, can't believe the energy they must have had!), lunch and then presents. Don't think I've ever opened a present in the morning .

Could you Skype/FaceTime the grandparents and do their presents in the afternoon while they can watch?

If the weather is dry you could send them outside in the afternoon to "find" some presents that fell off the sleigh.
My lovely friend had to do this with a present that was delivered late by Amazon. 4 days after Christmas they "found" it in a tree, complete with a scrap of material with bells on that must have been torn off a reindeer's harness as it careered through the shrubbery in the dark.

We used to do this too, have some before lunch and some afterwards-
Otherwise it's all over and you're bored staring at a pile of socks, smellies and selection boxes far too early.
Will do this, this year with my son too.

We did the same as Nix32, spaces out the day nicely.

It did mean that adults got all their presents after lunch (except maybe one from their OH), but that never bothered me.

We always keep a present back for dd till later. She loves it

Ours have never opened any presents, apart from stockings, until the afternoon.

We only open presents from us and the stockings in the morning. We would then open presents from grandparents in the afternoon at their house. If we are at home we will still do the same thing.

We’ve also always had tree presents in the evening and table presents that spread it out.

We've always done presents from Father Christmas and presents from DH and I to each other, in the morning.

And then all other presents after lunch.

My mum always does 'tree presents'. I am 40 something and still don't really get it. Why can't we just open presents in the morning? By after lunch the kids have disappeared, much wine has been drunk, someone is clearing up in the kitchen, the TV goes on. Then you all have to stop to sit around again and open more presents...... I would rather play a board game with anyone that wants too. Or failing that jist eat chocolates in front of the TV and chill....

We put one present on dinner table.

When I was little we had to wait til after the Queen's speech before we could open the presents under the tree . It was torture but also really great to have all those things later in the day. We open stockings, then the rest after breakfast, so probably nearer to 12. But keeping something for much later on is a great idea...might do the same now you given me the idea.

My parents did this

We loved it

We always save one gift for after we've finished dinner. It's lovely, especially for the children

@Ragwort

We've always done presents after lunch, stockings in the morning, church, a walk (or drinks - my parents always used to host drinks on Christmas Day morning, can't believe the energy they must have had!), lunch and then presents. Don't think I've ever opened a present in the morning .

Are you a Windsor ?

Stockings in the morning
Presents after lunch so later afternoon

Someone on here said it was "cruel" once

We have a tree present which we get after our evening meal

Save some for Boxing Day, it'll be a nice surprise for the kids

I would love to open stockings in the morning then tree gifts after lunch but I think I've set it in stone now that they open all of the gifts in the morning, I would love to change it up but I'm not sure how they would feel about the new schedule. Has anybody done similar? Any tips?

My Mum always used to put "tree presents" in the tree for the evening, when all the festivities had settled down. Just something small for each of us, but it was a lovely way to spread things throughout the day

Stockings when waking up, table present when we’d had our Christmas dinner and then tree presents once we were all back seated comfortably. Loved spreading it out through the day.

@Onedropbeat - why? That sounds like a lovely family Christmas Day.